At the Union Hall Office, on Thursday, Mr. Monek Mason
was charged with assaulting a Mr. Williams, in 'Vauxhall Gardens, on Fri- day week. It appeared that there was a Scuffle for a good place to see the ascent of the Nassau balloon, between Mr. Meson and Mr. Wil- liams, who had each a lady under his protection ; and that Mr. Mason charged Mr. Williams with pressing against his lady, which Williams denied. Mason said, " Do you mean to say I lie?" Williams replied, " I do:" whereupon Mason gave him a hard thump on tie forehead. This being the trumpery nature of the case, the Magistrate recom- mended a mutual apology ; which Mr. Mason was ready to make, but Williams refused, and threatened other proceedings. The Magistrate, however, gave Mr. Mason a certificate to protect him from Williams's legal wrath.
At the Bow Street Office, on Saturday, Burchall, a private in the Rifle brigade stationed at 1Voolwich, was fined fifty shillings, for a brutal assault on a chimney-sweep in Covent Garden.
On Sunday night, a soldier belonging to the Fusileer Guards, in- sulted two young women in East Smithfield. A sailor interfered to protect them : the soldier drew his bayonet, and made a thrust at him : a scuffle ensued, which ended in the capture of the soldier by four police- men, who carried him off to the Stationhouse.
A few days ago, a Marine stationed at Woolwich received 150 lashes for being absent without leave, and selling part of his accoutrements : his groans and shrieks under the flogging were dreadful, and the dis- gust of the crowds who assembled round the shed where the punish- ment was inflicted was loudly expressed.
In consequence of recent changes in the nature of military punish- merits, by which imprisonment and hard labour have been substituted for flogging, a great number of soldiers have been committed by the sentences of Courts-martial to the House of Correction, Middlesex, for various periods. Had this been the case with regard to those soldiers only whose offences were committed in that county, perhaps no ground of complaint would have existed ; but their commitment to that gaol from all parts of the country has been productive of such incon- venience as to induce the governor of the above prison to send a letter to the visiting Magistrates, calling their attention to the very serious consequences which have arisen from the increased and daily increasing number of soldiers committed by sentences of Courts-martial from all parts of England ; and the greatest difficulty is experienced in finding sleeping.room for all the prisoners. It is understood that it is the intention of the Middlesex Magistrates to call the attention of Govern- ment to this letter.—Post.
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